The Deception of False Prophets
False prophets are the most dangerous people in the world because they lead people to eternal destruction. They are not easily identifiable as they “come to you in sheep’s clothing,” looking like true, trustworthy shepherds. Just as a shepherd wore a wool garment to tend his flock, a false prophet pretends to be a spiritual leader, but inwardly, he is a ravenous wolf waiting to devour the unsuspecting sheep.
This deception is a serious matter, and the Bible repeatedly warns us to be vigilant. As 2 John 1:9-11 states, we are not even to welcome or wish well to a person who does not “abide in the doctrine of Christ.” This shows just how vile and dangerous false teachers are; their teachings are so corrupt that even minimal exposure can put us at risk.
The history of the Church serves as a powerful testament to this danger. During the Dark Ages, a lack of vigilance allowed false teachings to take root, leading to centuries of spiritual ignorance. The Reformation was a result of preachers like Martin Luther and John Calvin standing against this darkness. Similarly, in the 4th century, Athanasius’s courage to stand against the popular heresy of Arius saved the Church from a crushing spiritual blow. We are called to be just as vigilant today.
How to Identify False Prophets
Jesus gives us a clear method for identifying these deceivers: “By their fruit you will recognize them.” This is a promise, not a mere suggestion. A tree’s nature is revealed by its fruit. You can’t get grapes from a thornbush, and you can’t get good fruit from a bad tree, even if it looks appealing on the outside.
We must examine the quality of the fruit, as both a good tree and a bad tree can bear fruit. A false teacher may have some “good” things hanging on them, but their true nature will be revealed upon closer inspection. We must not be fooled by superficial appearances.
There are three main areas where we can examine the fruit of a prophet’s life and ministry:
- Their Creed (Teaching): What does the prophet teach? Do they twist or subtly misinterpret Scripture? Do they use the Bible to support their own ideas and values rather than proclaiming God’s authoritative message? A subtle but crucial red flag is not just what they say, but what they don’t say. Do they omit core Christian doctrines like sin, repentance, and the cross to make their message more palatable?
A true prophet will consistently and faithfully preach the whole counsel of God’s Word, even the difficult parts. A false prophet will pick and choose, telling people only what they want to hear. Your spiritual health depends on your ability to discern between the two.
Here are the key points on how to identify false prophets.
Test Their Creed
The first way to identify a false prophet is to test their creed, or what they teach. They may sound like they’re speaking from the Bible, but you must check if they are giving the whole counsel of God. As Isaiah 8:20 states, “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” A true prophet preaches the full message of the Bible, from beginning to end, without withholding anything.
False prophets can be identified by:
- Twisted doctrine of salvation: A false prophet’s doctrine of salvation is often too broad and easy. It may not include repentance, brokenness over sin, or a call to strive to enter the narrow gate. They may preach a message of “peace, peace” when there is no peace, putting a “Band-Aid” on the deep wound of sin without truly addressing it.
- A pleasing message: False prophets tend to preach “smooth things” (Isaiah 30:10). Their messages are comfortable, comforting, and positive. They avoid topics like judgment, justice, or the demands of a holy life, focusing instead on happiness and blessings. They are “clowns entertaining the goats” rather than shepherds feeding the sheep.
- Absence of doctrine: Many false prophets avoid specific theology. Everything is vague and fuzzy. They don’t preach about holiness, obedience, or righteousness. They don’t call for the kind of deep, agonizing repentance that historical figures like John Bunyan experienced.
When evaluating a person’s teaching, you must be impartial. You must “isolate the creed” and judge it against the Word of God, not based on the person’s fame, likeability, or personal favors they may have done for you. The devil himself can masquerade as an angel of light, and you must not be deceived by appearances (2 Corinthians 11:14-15).
Examine Their Character
You can also identify a false prophet by their character and the character of their followers. Their teachings produce a certain kind of fruit. This is not about being pragmatic (“if it works, it must be true”) or popular (“if people like it, it must be true”). It’s about whether their teaching produces the righteousness described in the Bible.
You can test their character and the character of those who follow them against the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-10) and the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Ask yourself:
- Do they show poverty of spirit? Are they humble, confessing their depravity, or do they constantly talk about their own sacrifices and accomplishments? A true prophet’s ministry will strip people of their self-righteousness and make them beg for grace.
- Is there mourning over sin? Do they preach about the seriousness of sin, or is their entire message a series of jokes and feel-good stories?
- Do they exhibit meekness? Are they submissive to God and kind to others, or do they show pride, anger, and a desire to retaliate when challenged?
- Do they produce the fruit of the Spirit? Look for love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in their lives.
False prophets are often driven by pride, power, prestige, and money. They are “hucksters of the Word of God” (2 Corinthians 2:17) who make merchandise of people for their own financial gain.
Observe Their Converts
A true prophet’s ministry will produce spiritual converts of good quality, not just a large quantity of people. The spiritual law of “like begets like” applies here: a good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.
A false prophet may have a huge following and boast about their numbers, but the quality of their converts will be poor. They produce unregenerate people who are happy with their sin and have no desire to truly repent. A true prophet’s ministry will produce:
- People who are stripped of their self-righteousness and stand in poverty of spirit before God.
- People who mourn over their sin and yearn to be holy.
- People who hunger and thirst for righteousness and long for a pure heart.
The ultimate test is not how many followers a prophet has, but whether their ministry is producing people who are growing in the biblical traits of the Beatitudes and the fruit of the Spirit.
Conclusion
This topic is crucial because it reminds us that truth matters. What you believe can determine your eternal destiny. The Lord Jesus wouldn’t warn us so urgently about false prophets if the truth didn’t matter. He wants us to be discerning and to test every teaching against the objective standard of His Word. The eternal destinies of millions of people are at stake, so we must be vigilant in discerning who is speaking the truth and who is leading people down the broad road to destruction.
Grace Reformed Baptist Church, Bangalore 